Food and Culture

1. Food and Culture Erik Chevrier September 19th, 2017

2. REVIEW - Foundations of Food and Culture • Claude Levi-Strauss – The Culinary Triangle * Published in 1966

3. What you Should Know • Know Claude Levi-Strauss’s theory of the culinary triangle • Know examples given by Claude Levi-Strauss of cultures and their use of cooking, rotting, and raw food methods. You should also be able to name cultures that have used smoking, boiling and grilling methods. Here are some examples: • Guayaki of Paraguay roast all their game, except when they prepare meat destined for the rites which determine the name of the child: meat must be boiled. • Caingang of Brazil prohibit boiled meat for the widow and widower, and also for anyone who has murdered an enemy. • Poconachi of Mexico interpret roasted as a compromise between the raw and the burned. After the universal fire, they relate, that which had not been burned became white, that which had turned black, and what had only been singed turned red. This explanation accounts for various colors of the corn and bean. • Know the categories that Claude Levi-Strauss adds at the end of the article and understand how they relate to the culinary triangle, i.e. fried, and steamed.

4. What to Know from the Abominations of Leviticus • Know some examples of animals that are not permitted to be eaten according to the Old Testament. • Animals that are okay to eat: • Ox, sheep, goat, hart, gazelle, roebuck, wild goat, ibex, antelope, mountain sheep • All cud chewing animals that parts the hoof or has hoof cloven in two – with exceptions • Water animals that have fins and scales • Clean birds • All clean winged things • Insects: locusts, cricket, grasshopper • Animals considered abominable: • Cud chewing animals who have a hoof cloven that cannot be eaten include: camel, hare, rock badger, swine • Animals in the water that do not have fins and scales and swarm • Not these birds: eagle, vulture, osprey, buzzard, kite, raven, ostrich, night hawk, sea gull, hawk, little owl, great owl, water hen, pelican, falcon, carrion vulture, cormorant, stork, heron, hoopoe, bat, water hen • Winged insects that go upon all fours • Animals that walk on paws • Non cud chewing animals or cud chewing animals that part the hoof but are not cloven footed • Swarming animals: weasel, mouse, great lizard, gecko, land crocodile, chameleon

5. Interpretations of Biblical Texts • Mary Douglas (summary) • All interpretations fall under two groups: • 1 – Rules are meaningless, arbitrary because their intent is disciplinary and not doctoral • 2 – They are allegories of virtues and vices Maimonides – dietary rules did not have sound physiological basis & sacrifice is the most important act of the Jewish religion Stein – disciplinary measures & natural reasons – to chose the most delicious meats Robert Smith & Frazer – rules are arbitrary because they are irrational Pfeiffer – rules of Priestly Code are largely arbitrary Zaehner– Jewish abomination of creeping things may have been taken over from Zoroastrianism Things to take into consideration from Douglas: Definitions of clean and unclean = holiness vs un-holiness God’s work through blessing is essentially to create order

6. Interpretations of Biblical Texts • Marvin Harris (summary) • Why is the pig forbidden to be eaten according to the Koran and the Old Testament. • Maimonides – a pig’s habits and food are filthy and loathsome • This is a contradiction because compared with chickens and goats, pigs don’t eat dung or wallow in natural filth • Ruminants chew cud and are herbivories that thrive off plants high in cellulose – these animals do not share food with humans. Pigs do not thrive off high cellulose plants. • Pigs do not have great body heat regulation, therefore not fit well for hot environments. Without access to mud or water, pigs may wallow in feces • Pigs are not used as working animals and do not provide fiber and cloth from their hair • Ecological factors, i.e. deforestation and increase in human populations made pig husbandry difficult • The reason cannot be medical because although trichinosis can be caught from undercooked pork, tapeworms, other parasites and diseases can be caught from undercooked cattle • Food laws in Leviticus were mostly codifications of preexisting traditional food prejudices and avoidances • The Koran allows people to eat camels but not pigs – camels reproduce very slowly but may be useful to nomadic people

7. Global Food Trade • How does global food trade function today? • How did we get to the global food system we have today?

8. Foundations of Food and Culture • Jack Goody – Towards the Development of a World Cuisine *Published in 1982 • The development of mass cuisine developed because of advances in four main areas: 1 – Preserving 2 – Mechanization 3 – Retailing 4 – Transport

9. Foundations of Food and Culture • Towards the Development of a World Cuisine • Preserving methods • Salting meat and fish were salted as of the 15th century to be shipped by sea • Pickling was an early industrial activity • Sugar was used to preserve fruit and meat • Brief history of canning • In 1681 – Invention of the ‘digester’ Canning ‘or bottling’ by Denis Papin in 1681 • End of 17th century – glass containers for medicine and wine at end of 17th century • 1804 – Appert opened bottling factory at Massy, near Paris – developed new improved methods • 1814 – Donkin, Hall, Gamble set up canning factories in Bermondsey – food rations purchased by Navy • 1821 – William Underwood began trading internationally in Boston – jellies, jams, pickles, ketchup, sauces • 1825 – Kensett & Doggett set up cannery in New York • 1870 – Rapid expansion of industrial canned goods, especially in France and Brittan • 1847 & 1855 – Grimwade took a patent for condensed milk and powdered milk

10. Foundations of Food and Culture • Towards the Development of a World Cuisine • Brief History of Artificial Freezing • Early 1800s – Ice houses in Scotland, Russians conserve chickens in snow, natural ice was packed into refrigerators • 1806 – Frederic Tudor began worldwide ice shipping company from Boston • 1851 – Refrigerated rail cars in USA • 1850 – James Harrison developed first practical ice making machine • Development in branding and advertising – mass production & mass consumption • 1823 – Mr. Lea & Mr. Perrins Worcestershire Sauce • 1860 – Dr. Kellogg produced granola based foods • 1890s – Charles Post produced Post Toasties – marketed as health food

11. Foundations of Food and Culture • Towards the Development of a World Cuisine • Mechanization of food production • 1849 – Mechanism for pressing out can tops • 1876 – Howe machine increased canning production • Middle to late 1800s – Development of Railways • Retailing • 1300s – Company of Grocers • Shift from open markets to closed shops 1600s • Late 1800s early 1900s – rapid expansion of retail outlets – advertising becomes significant Significant factors: - Separation of people from producing food, separation of people from arable land = people become dependent on food markets. - Adulteration of food is not a new concern - Time and space are major obstacles that were overcome to develop a world food system - Industrialization of means of production

12. Negative Consequences of Marketing • The Nag Factor

13. Please watch! • The Century of Self – Part 1 – Happiness Machine

14. Discussion From Last Class • What kind of food etiquette did your family follow at the diner table? • Did you eat together? • Did you have family conversations? • Did you eat in front of the TV? • What were the divisions of labour (i.e. cooking, cleaning dishes, preparation, etc.)? • What kind of rules were set at the table? • Language, preventing bodily functions, etc.… • What other kind of food rituals can you remember partaking in as a child (parties, barbecues, corn roasts, gatherings, etc.)?

15. For next class! • Please visit the Hive! • They have two locations, one downtown and one at Loyola campus. • Please chose a food item. • For your cooking assignment, you will answer 3 questions. • 1 – What is the cultural significance of your food item • 2 – What are the consequences of the food process, i.e. preparation, transformation, consumption, distribution, transportation – labour, gender, class, privilege, colonial imposition, racial, health, environmental sustainability, etc. • 3 – Ingredients and process • On Thursday we will discuss the food item. Please come prepared!